Modern Japanese Capsule Hotel

Welcome to the 9 Hours Hotel where you can spend the night sleeping in one of 125 small little capsules called hubs that are only large enough for a person to lie down in for $80. They are quite popular in Japan for commuters who have a need to stay in town overnight. This one is located in Kyoto.The 9 h capsule hotel and all amenities were designed by Fumie Shibata of

design studio s

, which she founded in 1994. with her team, she defined the elements necessary for a 'minimal transit space' in big cities in japan. The product designer has been pursuing the 9h project as a creative director for 3 years.Buckminster Fuller said:"Our beds are empty two-thirds of the time. Our living rooms are empty seven-eighths of the time. Our office buildings are empty one-half of the time. It's time we gave this some thought."While we spend almost a third of our life in bed, we spend most of it sleeping. In urban centers there are often issues of light, noise, ventilation and privacy. Perhaps sleeping pods are not such a bad idea.